Introduction and Fluid Statics

Practice Problems

SECTION A: Properties of Fluids

1. Derive an expression for the capillary height change h for a fluid of surface tension 
and contact angle  between two vertical parallel plates with spacing of W. What will
be h for water at 20C if W = 0.5 mm?

Fig 1
2. At 60C, the surface tension of Hg and water are 0.47 and 0.0662 N/m respectively.
Calculate the capillary rise heights when these two liquids are placed in a clean glass
tube of diameter 0.4 mm in contact with air.
3.

Mean free path is given by the formula , where dm is the diameter of the
molecules, k is a constant, P= pressure, T= Temperature. Mean free path of nitrogen
molecules at 100 kPa pressure and 25⁰C is found as 2.25 10-7 m. Consider flow in a
nano channels of width 10 nm and in another microchannel of width 200 micron. Find
validity of continuum assumption for these two channels at the given pressure and
temperatures: (i) -30⁰C, 800 kPa, (ii) 50⁰C, 50 kPa.

4. A body weighing 1000N slides down at an uniform speed of 1 m/s along a lubricated
plane at 30 deg. incline with the horizontal. The dynamic viscosity of the lubricant is
0.1 kg/m-s and contact area of the body is 0.25 m 2. Determine the lubricant thickness
assuming a linear velocity distribution within the lubricant from the surface of the
plane to that of the solid body.
5. A spherical soap bubble of diameter d1 coalesces with another bubble of diameter d2
to form a single bubble of diameter d3 containing the same volume of air. Assuming
an isothermal process, derive an expression of d 3 as function of d1, d2, ambient
pressure p0 and surface tension coefficient of soap solution () in air.
6. The space between two parallel flat plates is 5-mm and filled with a viscous fluid.
The upper plate is moved with a force of 0.01-N in x direction. Assuming a contact
area of 0.5 m2, calculate the velocity of the moving plate when
a. Fluid is water with  = 9 x 10-4 N-s/m2
b. Bingham fluid with o = 0.5 N/m2 and  = 4 x 10-3 N-s/m2
 7. The cone and plate viscometer is an instrument used frequently for characterization of
non-Newtonian fluids. It consists of a flat plate and a rotating cone with a very obtuse
cone angle. The apex of the cone just touches the flat surface and the test liquid fills
up the gap between the cone and the flat surface. Derive an expression for the shear
rate in the liquid that fills the gap in terms of geometrical parameters. Evaluate the
torque on the driven cone in terms of shear stress and geometry.

Fig 7

SECTION B: Pressure and Fluid statics

8. An Inverted U-tube manometer is used to measure the pressure difference between
two pipes A and B. Pipe A is carrying oil (specific gravity = 0.8) and pipe B is
carrying water. The densities of air and water are 1.16 kg/𝑚3 and 1000 kg/𝑚3. Find
the pressure difference between pipes A and B.

Fig 8

9. In Fig. 9 the tank contains water and immiscible oil at 20°C. What is the value of h?
Density of oil = 898 kg/𝑚3.
 Fig 9

10. In Fig 10 both the tank and the slanted tube are open to the atmosphere. If L=2.13 m,
Find the angle of Tilt of the tube?

Fig 10

11. A body is submerged at the interface of oil and water such that 45% of its volume is
in oil while the rest is in water. What is the density of the body? Specific gravity of
oil is 0.7.

12. A uniform block of steel (SG= 7.85) will float at a mercury-water interface as in Fig
12. Find the ratio a/b.

Fig 12

13. Panel ABC in the slanted side of a water tank is an isosceles triangle with the vertex
at A and the base BC = 2m, Find the water force on the panel and its line of action.
 Fig 13

14. The tank in Fig8 has a 4-cm-diameter plug at the bottom on the right. All fluids are at
20°C. The plug will pop out if the hydrostatic force on it is 25N. For this condition,
what will be the reading h on the mercury manometer on the left side?

Fig 14

15. Gate AB in Fig 15. is a homogeneous mass of 180kg, 1.2m wide into the paper,
resting on smooth bottom B. All fluids are at 20°C. for what depth h the force at B
will be zero?
 Fig 15

16. Find the height H for which the hydrostatic force on the rectangular panel is same as
force on semi-circular panel.

Fig 16

17. In the figure, the cover gate AB closes a circular opening of 80 cm in diameter. The
gate is closed by a 200-kg mass. At what water level height h will the gate be
dislodged? Neglect the weight of the gate.

Fig 17